About the expansion of herring gull in the south of Central Siberia

Gull birds are the most important element of wetland ecosystems in the region. In the beginning of XX century, herring gull didn't nest in the Central Tuva, Khakassia and the south of Krasnoyarsk re-gion. Currently, the extension of the present herring gull areal in the south of Central Siberia from the north to the south is 380 km, from the west to the east (in the widest part) is 560 km. The purpose of the study was to analyze the nature and probable flyways of herring gull in the south Central Siberia. The work was carried out using the mix of methods in 2009-2015. The most important wetlands for the gull reproduction of Khakassia and the south of Krasnoyarsk region were covered by census. The materials from the bank of Monitoring Center data of SFU biodiversity, including the results of labora-tory sample analysis for the presence of influenza A virus were used for the analysis and comparison. The meeting at least three subspecies were marked in the study region: Taimyr L. a. taimyrensis But., 1911, Caspian Gull L. a. cachinnans Pall., in 1811 and Mongolian L. a. mongolicus Sushkin, 1925. In general, herring gull biology for the period under review was character-ized by expansion and an abundance increase in 1980-2005 (wetland “Trehozerki” until 2007) and the termination of its settlement, the stabilization of population in the coming years. All of these sug-gests broad ecological valence of herring gull in the south of Central Siberia. For 40 years the northern boundary of species moved to the north more than 600 km. Also, it does not exclude that the birds are spreading in northerly (Larus argentatus mongolicus), and easterly (L. a. cachinnans) direc-tions. The expansion of herring gull can aggravate interspecific competition in the Laridae family, which can lead to the oppression of native species / forms.